Life and Style on Two Wheels

thank you, mr. pickup truck

August 23, 2010

Friday night: dinner for two at home, followed by plenty of ice cream. Then I realize that I forgot something important in my office so I decide that I need to swing by there to get it. Let’s ride our bikes!

It’s a mere 1.5 mile ride from my house door to my office door. I convince T. that we don’t need our helmets, let’s just hop on the Raleighs and go. We ride and it’s fun and my scarf is blowing in the wind and I turn to say: Isn’t it nice to not wear a helmet? Doesn’t it feel so much better?

And then some twenty year old real cool guy turns his truck unto the road we are crossing and purposely pulls up within inches of us, all the while making eye contact, just to let us know. Know what? That we shouldn’t be here? Do we need a truck to have a right to the road?

Jerks like that are the reason why we need to wear our helmets. It just would be nice if that weren’t the case though.

what a jerk! i’ve gotten much more aggressive since riding around a smaller town and i wouldn’t hesitate to give that guy a piece of my mind in return for his aggression.
(also, cute dress, of course. already missing you at academichic)

I know exactly how you feel! My husband and I were riding home after dinner late one night (in the rain at that!) when some jerk in an SUV decided to basically stop behind us and honk their horn over and over! One, as a biker, it’s very irritating for anyone to honk their horn (also very dangerous), and two, we were on a 4-lane road with no other traffic at the time, so they could have easily gotten into the left lane and gone past us. But no, it’s more fun to hassle and stalk bikers on a dark rainy night!

Thanks for all your comments (of commiseration) everyone! I’ve been shocked by how many negative and insulting comments (usually shouted out of car windows and usually from young males) I have gotten while riding around town here. It just is baffling to me what people would think it so ridiculous that someone is riding a bike or that it’s worthy of abuse. Since this is the first time that I am using a bike as a primary mode of transportation, I can’t compare this behavior with what it’s like in other US places (everywhere else I lived, I commuted by car, on foot, or by public transport). I have to think that it’s not all like this in other US cities. It makes me sad that some people are this closed-minded.

While I think many people are accidentally jerks while sharing the road with bikes, just because they aren’t accustomed to cyclists, this kind of intentional asshattery really makes me mad! I’m so sorry you had to go though this!

I’ve never received more cat calls then when I’ve been riding a bike in a dress or skirt. Ugh!

Never mind the jerk. I have more pressing questions. Where did you get your fabulous sandals? And, I love your dress, too!

You know, nearly every day where I ride, someone has to be a jerk. I’m supposed to be on the sidewalk, after all.

Here’s a thought inspired by a book I’m reading–at least he saw you! One of the most common excuses for car drivers hitting bicyclists is that the driver “never saw you.” I’m not happy to be honked at or stared down or yelled at, but when I am, at least know that they don’t have their lame, “But I never saw you” excuse if they do actually hit me.

Wow, gorgeous photos of what looks like a beautiful night! I’ve also been enjoying a lot of free-flowing-hair rides, one of the things I love about summer. And I’ve also been feeling forced to wear my helmet due to crappy drivers, unfortunately. Although, for what its worth, no heads were harmed in this scenario, helmet or no, and I think most of our helmet anxiety comes more from irrational fear than anything else. That said, yup, I still wear my helmet most of the time.

There’s a woman in the UK named Dawn Foster who has a blog called “A Hundred and One Wankers”, which she describes as “A catalogue of the insults and comments I get shouted at me whilst riding my bike”. She just started this as a result of her frustration with the stupidity and aggressing of some people towards cyclists in the city of London. The site can be found here: http://101wankers.tumblr.com/

There are also other people who share their stories in their comments. It’s really nice to see cyclists fighting back! :)